Acetylene generator



Feb. 19, 1924. 484,506

Y P. F. KILLIAN ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed April 12 1920 GAS BELL Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

i Ji iiTED STATES PIUS F. KILLIAN, F OWENS-EURO, KENTUCKY.

ACETYLE'NE GENERATOR.

Application filed April 12, 1920. Serial No. 373,375.

T 0 Mi whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Pros F. KILLIAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Owensboro, in the county of Daviess and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful improvements in Acetylene Generators, of which the following is a full and clear description of same.

The principal object of my invention is to improve and simplify auxiliary carbide feeds for acetylene generators by providing a new feed of the rotary type, which has proven to be more simple, positive and effectual than those now in use, and which will be explained more fully in the following description.

An important advantage of this invention is that it is free from additional mechanism which is necessary in numerous types of generators having an alarm or some apparatus of warning to indicate to the occupants of the house that the carbide supply is at a low stage, and the hopper should be. refilled at once.

Signals of warning for the purpose just described often fail, and they can not be thoroughly relied upon to accomplish the desired result. This invention was devised for the purpose of producing an auxiliary feed that positively does not depend upon any form of mechanism to actuate same. As certain as the pressure of the gas in the generator becomes lower, or at its lowest stage, will this device operate, as the means for actuating this device is the gas bell of the genorator, naturally the latter can not fail to descend as the pressure of the gas becomes lower.

Another advantage of the invention is that it can be readily installed within the main carbide hopper of any standard generator, not having an auxiliary feed, and operated in connection with its gas bell.

A further object of the invention is that it is preferable to other feeds for a similar purpose because it isentirely and absolutely an tomatically operated, thus the resetting of the device for receiving another charge of carbide does not depend upon the human memory, asin both the semiautomatic and non-automatic types. The operation of the device and further advantages will be stated in the following description.

In the practical development and manufacture it may become necessary to make certain minor changes in the details of construction but without departing from the principle as described, and the right to make such changes is herewith reserved.

With reference to the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional view of the carbide hopper and feeding device, the type of which commonly used in connection with acetylene generators, the section is taken on a line in the center thereof, also clearly showing my device connected therein.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the trip mechanism, and a section of the device taken on line A-A of Figure 3. The dotted lines in this view plainly illustrate the movement of the trip mechanism, and the arrow indicates the direction the drum will rotate.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the device.

Figure i is a perspective view of the trip mechanism and its support.

The invention consists mainly of a rotary drum, comprising the partitions indicated by the numeral 1, said partitions forming an equal number of divisions or containers for carbide. The ends of the drum are enclosed by disc members 2; To form the axis of the drum, a longitudinally extending shaft 3 is provided. Both ends as at t are somewhat smaller in order to form shoulders to retain said drum in the position as shown in Fig. 3. The shaft 3 is secured to the partitions l and discs 2 by means of solder or any ap proved means. A frame-work 5 is provided as shown, and forms the back and both sides of the enclosure, and while the back 6 of same is shown of a curved shape, it may be square or any shape to conform to the inner walls of the carbide hoppers of generators. In the sides of said enclosure, where shown are holes which form bearings for the ends 4 of the shaft 3, said ends 4. may have small transverse holes therethrough for cotter pins if desired, said holes in both sides as de scribed, align perfectly, in order that the rotary drum will rotate perfectly.

Referring to Figure 2 it will be readily seen how the trip mechanism retains the rotary drum in the correct position at all times except when operated as will be presently explained. The trip mechanism is of extremely simple construction, and consists of a beam 7, one of its ends being formed into an eniargement causing this end to be very heavy and to act as a practical weight, same being shown at 8. Extending downward and forming a part of said end 8 is an arm 9. It

should be noted that same is tapered in shape, and the lowermost end being the smallest portion of same and which will correspond to the shoulders 10 of partitions shown at 1, the end 8 will rest upon the top edge of one of the sides of the frame-work 5 as will be seen by referring to Figures 2 and 3. In the center of the round lug portion 11 is the fulcrum of the said lever, which is secured to a supporting member 12 which has a similar round portion 18, by a bolt 14 and nut 15. The opposite end of the beam 7 described, forms an eye to receive a bolt 16 and nut 17, which form the connection with a rod 18, said rod having a slotted portion 19 in its lower portion as shown in order to accommodate the disc portion of the end of the beam 7 as will be understood clearly by referring to the several views.

In order to place a supply of carbide into the main hopper A as shown in Figure 1, an opening in the top portion wiiere shown at B is provided, also a cap of some type (not shown) is also provided for same, said cap is removed and the carbide is placed into same. In so doing enough of the volume of carbide placed i'zherein will fall into the one of the containers of the drum nearest the to 3, causing the drum to rotate slightly in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2 until brought to a standstill by the arm 9 of beam 7. The trip mechanism remains in the position as shown in Fig. 2 until the gas hell (not shown) of the generator lowers until the underneath portion of its top strikes the top end of rod 18, causing same to descend slightly and actuating the beam 7 as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The carbide in one of the containers is shown by the numeral 20, and when the drum is released as ust described, it will rotate in the direction of the arrow in this view because of the weight of said carbide in the container. If, after the operation of this device the drum fails to continue to revolve after discharging said carbide until in the exact position as shown in this view, when the main hopper is filled again particles of carbide falling into the uppermost container will cause the drum to revolve until same is exactly in the correct position. As the gas bell of the generator descends it first strikes the top end of rod C which operates the regular feed, as seen in Fig. 1. An important advantage of this device is the fact that it positively does not interfere with the operation of the regular feed ofthe generator.

Referring again to the framework 5, it will be seen that the front ends of same are braced by a cross member 21 and se cured by rivets orscrews 22, it will also be seen that the support 12 for the beam 7 of the trip mechanism is secured to the framework by means of rivets or screws 23.

It is calculated that any one of the containers will hold enough carbide to produce ample for lighting purposes for at least one entire night. This will eliminate the necessity of recharging the generator during the night.

The invention having been described, what I claim as new is:

1.111 an acetylene gas generator includ ing a hopper having a charging opening in its top, and means to permit delivery from the hopper, a drum containing a plurality of compartments and rotatably mounted in the hopper in position to dispose one of tl e compartments below the charging opening in the top of the hopper, trip mechanism normally engaging the drum to restrain rotation of the same, and means to release said trip mechanism upon exhaustion of the charge in the hopper to permit rotation of the drum and delivery of an auxiliary supply from the compartment disposed below the charging opening in the top or" the hopper.

2. In an acetylene gas generator including a hopper having a charging opening in its top, and means to permit discharge from the hopper, a circular series of pockets rotatably mounted within the hopper connected at their inner edges and each provided with a shoulder at its outer edge, trip mechanism including a pendent stop arm normally engaging the shoulder onone of the pockets to hold another pocket in position to receive part of a charge supplied through the charging opening in the top of the hopper, and means to release said trip mechanism upon exhaustion of the charge in the hopper to permit rotation of the pockets and delivery of the auxiliary supply.

3. In an acetylene gas generator including a hopper having a charging opening in its top, and means to permit discharge from the hopper, a circular series of pockets.

rotatably mounted within the hopper connected at their inner edges and each having a shoulder at its outer side, a weighted lever fulcrumed between its ends above the pockets, a stop depending from the weighted end of the lever to engage the shoulder on one pocket to resist rotation of the pockets and hold one pocket in position below the charging opening in the top of the hopper to receive an auxiliary charge, and a rod rising from the opposite end of the lever through the top of the hopper and operable upon exhaustion of the chargein the hopper to release the stop and permit rotation of the pockets to deliver theauxiliary charge.

PIUS F. KILLIAN. 

